[TCPMeta]

I want to upgrade the magnets in my oil pan and tranny pan. The best type of magnets to use are strong rare earth magnets. Well I found a easy and cheap way to do this. I know a few of us are in the IT field so it wouldn't surprise me if some one has 1 or 2 extra hard drives collecting dust. Well inside of a hard drive there are 2 to 3 rare earth mags. I have no idea what kind but they're strong enough to hold 5 to 10 pounds. Just take apart the drive and you're good to go. Just have to buy new oil or tranny fluid and gaskets. Or just wait for the next time you have to change them out.

I'm going to do this on my next oil change. Heres a guide to dismantle a hard drive.

http://www.instructables.com/id/SCWQHGOF2FRVD4W/

[W3ap0n-X]

I am intrigued. Perhaps a how-to is in order should you be the first to do this? You'd have to update later, of course, when it came time for the next transmission service. Pictures of what the old magnet collected vs. Rare Earth Magnet, etc.

Edit: Just realized a how-to is kind of pointless, since the biggest how-to would be the fluid change itself...or getting the oil pan off.

For that matter...if these magnets are strong enough, why wouldn't they be able to do their job THROUGH the pan? I think I've seen kits for external magnets for sale somewhere.

[windowpane]

The magnets in the harddrives are neodymium, you could use a neodymium magnet on the oil filter, they are strong and won't just fall off. You could duct tape the magnets onto the filter if you are worried, but if you've ever played with a neodymium magnet you'll know there is really no way they are going to fall off. A 'regular' magnet like a fridge type or the 'cheap' magnets you might buy might fall off since they don't have the power of the neo's those you would want to put IN the pan.

I think if you put the magnet on the outside of the pan it would waste it's energy on holding to the pan versus grabbing tiny metal bits in the fluid, it would probably still work but not as well if it didn't use so much 'power' holding to the metal pan.

BTW:I dropped a button cell sized neo-mag in the tranny pan when I changed the fluid/filter and installed the special gears. I stuck 4 of the same on my oil filter after my last oil change, about 2 months ago,I wasn't interested in
messing with dropping the pan at the time and they are all still there.


EDIT: FIlter mag is a product for the oil filter and they have cut away shots of the material they collected.

https://www.expeditionexchange.com/filtermag/

[TCPMeta]

Well some time next month I'm going to do a oil change and a engine flush and I guess while I'm at it i'll drop the oil pan and do it. I'm afraid to mess with my tranny pan again since I had a heck of a time getting the pan to reseal. Damn bolts didn't want to tighten up and had to use RTV sealant.

If they were external you could lose them.

[xrental]

I really like the idea. I wonder if there is a reasonable way to make like an access door to check on what they gather on oil changes?

[TCPMeta]

That's a great idea for the mag in the filter.

I went ahead and took apart of a old hard drive for the magnet and let me tell you, it was a bitch to get out.

[Scarface]

Not to hijack this thread, but seeing the hard drive ass nekkie reminded me of something to try.
I came across an old thread years ago (before TechTV was dismantled by Cumblast/Comcast.)
Take off the top cover, and cover the internals with something static resistant and air tight.
Take a piece of plexiglass (CD case would do) lay atop of the removed cover/drive, mark where to cut and drill.
Once you have the plastic cut, use some glue to fill in the gaps to make it air tight again.

I think that would help keeping the hard drive(s) a little cooler, but don't know by how much.

[TCPMeta]

Hard drives are not air tight. On a lot of drives you see a little dot and a sticker that states "do not cover" on picture two look towards the top left, the white thing is a air filter to keep dust out.

That clear cover / window idea has been done to death on a lot of mod sites. I even done a few of them. If you do it heres a tip I've picked up from along the way. Drill a small pin hole just before the little filter and also use some sort of sealant on the cover. Some drives you can take off the little rubber gasket and reuse it. Or you can pick up some of that foil like tape that is used for A/C duct work.


Look in the background, I have too many computer parts laying around lol.

[TERMINATOR101CA]

Keep in mind that neodymium magnets though they're strong, when heated to working teperatures of an engine they lose their strength. There's lots of magnets for sale on Egay and probably easier to find than hard-drives. Best place for the magnets would be the oil filter so you can remove the debri with the filter without removing the pan.

[Scarface]

Son of a...
And I thought this was a long-forgotten mod.
I should get out from under the rock some more.

[Great White]

I wouldn't feel to good about a chunk of metal floating around in the oil pan.

It won't stick to the aluminum pan or block, but it sure will to the crank throws..............

Very bad things will happen shortly after that!

You'd be better off epoxying it to the outside of the pan, or stick it to the metal filter.

The transmission?

Meh, just stick it to the outside of the pan somewhere...........

Cheers

BJ

[windowpane]

I tried a magnet on bit of steel, probably as thick as a pan wall give or take and it didn't have enough power to hold a small harddrive screw or even exert any noticable force on it through the steel. It is by no means a definitive experiment but if you put one on the outside of a steel pan it will not have any where near the same power it would if it were in the pan.

I have a spare transmission pan I could try it out on if people are really, really, bored and I feel like it tomorrow.

[Xpid]

what is the point in doing this other than having a better mag.?

[Scarface]

Smaller chance of having metal shavings in the fluid that could cause internal failure.

[TCPMeta]

So far the oil filter seems like the best idea. As for the tranny you would have to drop the tranny pan and add the magnet inside the pan.

I've pulled 4 magnets from a old drive, i have no idea why I kept it. Finally came into good use lol.